The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-06-04

surprise. "Why, where shall we keep all our boxes, my dear; and your sew ing machine, which you never use; and"
 'Tmean spare bedroom" interrupted Margaret reprovingly. "And I wish i you wouldn't say my dear,' it makes me feel so old"
 "Old '' said, astonished and mys- titled.
 "Yes," returned Margaret. "Mr. Whitelock calls his wife My dear," and they are both over seventy 7"
 This argument was unanswerable. 1 did not attempt to refute it.
 "Well, then," I continued, "My- my love" C'Ah! that's better" said my wife), !" would you mind explain l ing to me your objections to that time honored institution, guest chamber :? Are you afraid of a ghost taking up its quarters with us?
 "No," answered Margaret, still keeping her finger on her chin and re- garding me with fixed and steadfast gaze. She had not even blenched when alluded to the sewing machine. But in London, he who keeps a spare room keeps hotel"
 It was too true. l dropped the end of my cigar into the grate outright, while visions of Aunt Georgina from bennington, '.just running up from Saturday till Monday" with her maid, her ashthmatic pug, and her ar- ray of imperials, coursed through my brain.
 Aunt Georgina-she was Margaret's aunt, not mine-had frequently per l formed this athletic feat since our marriage, and we soon found out that her Saturday till Monday" was not l by any means the same as that period of time recorded ill the almanacs. It was sometimes week, but more often ! ten days, and it had been known to extend itself to month 1 do not think We either of Us absolutely dis l liked Aunt Georgina. In fact. if any one had asked us ~h0t we particularly objected to in her, we should have been somewhat puzzled to reply; but she was like rich plum pudding-a little of her went a long way.
 They say that everything comes to those who wait. Still more does everything come to those who search long and diligently enough, and in due time our house was found. It was in every way satisfactory. It had been freshly done up with paint, paper. and the newest things i'll man. tel-pieces and dados, and proper at tention had been paid to such things as drainage, gas-pipeS, and boilers. It was in the Bayswater direction: if was close to an omnibus route: it was only a shilling cab fare distance to my club, and there was very tolerable bonnet shop not far off. In fact, Margaret said that by putting her head out of 1 the bath-room window, and craning her neck only very little. she could just catch glimpse of it.
 But in this world of ours, unfor- tunately, there is no rose without a i thorn; no supreme good without some draw back. Our house had spare room.
 To be sure, as Margaret observed when we talked this over after quite settling upon the house, we might have known that we must have spare room, as there were only our two l selves, the servants, and very linn | ited assortment of boxes and trunks to stow away. "And you know you wouldn't like to live in very small house, Charley" she added, '.even if we could have found one in this part of London"
 1 assentcd to this.
 "Anyway," continued my wife, II shall not furnish the room as bed i room."
 Well, that was the original idea" l replied.
 At last we were settled in our new house. l will not attempt to describe our removal and subsequent establish ing of ourselves and our furniture. It was not pleasant to go through the experience, and it is not pleasant to recall it. think Margaret and came as near having quarrel as we ever did in our lives-at that time. It all floats through my mind as think of it. A confused dream of bedsteads and side boards in the drawing room. wardrobes in the dining g-room. Ores den china and mirrors in the kitchen. Naples men and strange cats every where, timed beef dinners. and a gen eral all-pervading atmosphere of straw.
 But at last it was all over. and Mar garet triumphantly declared that the house looked as if we had lived in it for years. l thought it rather dubi- ous compliment, but did not tell her so.
 One morning, as we were sitting at breakfast, letter was brought in and handed to my wife. The postman is late this morning." she said as she took it. said nothing; had caught a glimpse of the handwriting and a